Studies in Jain Literature

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 90

STUDIES IN JAIN LITERATURE
Vimalasūri removes these 'absurd' and 'incredible elements and presents faithfully the life of Rāma as was proclaimed by Lord Mahāvīra. According to Vimala, on the Vānara-island there is the city of Kiskindhāpura. The Vānaras are in reality a race of Vidyādharas, which is so-called, because it has Vānaras (monkeys) by way of badges or symbols on the arches of gates, banners, etc. The Raksasas are not man-eating demons. They belong to a race of the Vidyadharas; they are not meat-eaters but adhere to the vow of ahimsă.
They are so called because one high-souled Rāksasa was born in that dynasty of the Vidyadharas or according to another etymological explanation, the Vidyādharas since they guarded the holy Rākşasa-islands were known as Rāksasas?.
Bhānukarna (Vālmīki's Vibhīsana), Rāvana and other Räksasa heroes are represented as pious and devout Jains. Rāvana restores ruined Jain shrines or temples and as far as possible he avoids hiṁsā whenever he has to fight. Vimala informs us that it was not Indra, the lord of gods, who was defeated by Rāvana but Indra, the lord of the Vidyādharas. Rāvana's mother hangs around his neck a wondrous string of nine pearls in which his face is reflected nine times, hence he gets the epithet “Dasamukha" (the man with ten faces)."
4) Vimala rids the story of divine elements. His Rāma and Sītă are not incarnations of Visnu and Laksmi respectively. He however elevates the various characters : His Kaikeyi is a mother par excellence. She is prepared to let her husband accept asceticism but desperately tries to retain her son. She does not demand Rāma's banishment to forest. Vālin, a mighty Vidyadhara hero, although capable of inflicting a crushing defeat on Rāvana, voluntarily appoints Sugrīva to the throne and himself becomes a monk. Thus, he frees Vālin of the shameful charge of living with his brother's wife, and Rāma of the charge of treacherously slaying Vālin. Laksmana kills sambūka by accident and this exonerates Rāma from the guilt of slaying a tapasvin.
Rāvana is portrayed as a tragic hero. His only weakness is his passion for Sītā. Sītā is described as born in a natural way from Videhā, the wife of king Janaka-and not come out of the earth as in the Rāmāyana. These are some of the noteworthy changes effected by Vimala in the VR. That he removes from the story of Rāmāyaṇa its Brahmanical atmosphere and creates in its place Jain atmosphere is perfectly understandable. For his chief aim is the promotion and propagation of the Jain faith. No doubt, Rāma, Laksmana and according to Jain Purānas, three of the sixty three salākāpurusas (uttamapurusas or mahāpurusas)-eminent or excellent or great personages. But it is